James Powell - Writer/Editor

Today, one of my coaching clients finished his first novel.

When we met, he was filled with enthusiasm, but it was clouded with self-doubt and uncertainty. He never thought he’d finish. He knew it was a dream he’d never fulfill.

But he persevered. He pushed through. It took him nine months of starts and stops, nine months of fear and insecurity and doubt. Nine months on an emotional rollercoaster he thought might break him.

And today, nearly in tears, we celebrated his big achievement. I’m so happy for him... so proud of his accomplishment.

And believe me, finishing a novel is a huge achievement.

Sure, some influencers like to suggest it’s easy for them. They can whip out a book in a month or less.

But for others, it’s a real challenge.

So if you’re struggling to stay motivated and confident enough to finish your novel or comic or other creative expression, if all you’re feeling are your missteps and hurdles, I see you.

You’re not alone. You're not the only one struggling, even if it feels that way sometimes.

Take a deep breath and take one more step. That’s all you need to do today.

Just one more step.

You got this!

Woke up to a funded campaign. Woot! So grateful for my backers, friends, readers, and supporters. This book means a lot to me, and now I get to share it with others. Can't wait!

Sometimes, you pivot.

I hadn't originally planned to offer digital-only copies of Santa's Dark Legacy, but after several interested readers asked about them, I've added tiers to the campaign.

I enjoy watching the numbers fluctuate during a campaign, so I'm intrigued to see how this impacts current backers and the followers conversion rate.

I feel like I've elevated my game with my latest Kickstarter campaign. Maybe not with the campaign itself, but with the story I've written. This novella has more of me in it than anything I've created yet.

Sure, it has the kids vs. monsters vibe I'm known for, and I'm happy with the action, but there's more emotional resonance, too. More depth to the characters. It deals with absent fathers, rejection, and abandonment in a way I wasn't expecting when I set out to write the tale.

I've been proud of everything I've produced, but this one... this one feels more in line with the real me. The Wishing Stone was a big step, but this one inches ever closer.

I didn’t find a single typo in the proofread of my new book, but it still yielded several flags.

A proofread can find more than misspellings or missing punctuation. Sometimes you find you used the same word too close together, clunky structure, or other elements that just don’t feel right.